Camp Observations, Injury Updates

Head coach Kliff Kingsbury talked about the tough roster decisions to be made in the running backs room.

Another day, another training camp practice, but Thursday’s was the penultimate one for the Cardinals at State Farm Stadium.

After Friday’s practice, the team will host the Baltimore Ravens in a nationally televised Sunday night game and then two days later head to Nashville for two days of joint practices with the Tennessee Titans before the two teams face each other Aug. 27 in the final preseason game of the summer.

After a Wednesday practice in which more than 20 players didn’t participate because of a day off or injury, many took part in at least some of the work, including wide receivers DeAndre Hopkins, Hollywood Brown and A.J. Green, defensive end J.J. Watt and safety Budda Baker.

Missing his first practice of camp was right guard Will Hernandez. Head coach Kliff Kingsbury said the expected starter has “a little bit of an ankle, but it shouldn’t be  much.”

UPDATE: To fill the roster spot opened by the departure of linebacker Jessie Lemonier, the Cardinals signed tight end Josh Hokit (6-1, 226) Thursday. Hokit signed with the 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2020 and spent the last two seasons on San Francisco's practice squad. He was in training camp this summer with the 49ers and was waived Aug. 15.

Camp Observations

• With the regular-season opener 24 days away, Kingsbury commented on the status of the depth chart at running back behind starter James Conner, even mentioning undrafted free agent T.J. Pledger. “To be determined,” Kingsbury said. “All of those guys have had really good camps. Darrel (Williams), (Jonathan) Ward, Key (Keaontay Ingram), Eno (Benjamin) obviously; I’ve talked about him. T.J.’s done a nice job learning the system and taking advantage of his opportunities. I’m excited to see how it plays out the next couple weeks. There will be some tough decisions to make.”
• It seemed odd that outside linebacker Jessie Lemonier would be waived Wednesday, three days after the Cardinals made cuts to reduce the roster to the mandated 85-player limit as of Tuesday. In 13 snaps last Friday against Cincinnati, Lemonier had one strip-sack, one tackle and two quarterback hits. Kingsbury explained, “That’s a really deep room for us, so wanted to give him an opportunity to go show what he can do somewhere else. He wasn’t going to make this team based upon; we’re seven-deep right now that we think have a chance to make the team. So just wanted him to have a chance elsewhere.”
• International Pathways Program tight end Bernhard Seikovits, in his second season with the team, said he feels “way more confident” this year after spending 2021 on the practice squad, but with a roster exemption. So confident that he played 22 snaps (33%) on offense against the Bengals along with 14 (42%) on special teams. He also had a reception for 13 yards. In two preseason games last year, Seikovits played a total of four snaps on offense and 14 on special teams. “I think I’ve come pretty far in this one year,” the native of Austria said. I feel way more confident and I feel that shows on the field. I know the calls, I know how people move. I certainly know the speed of the game.” As for the catch, he said, “It took me almost two years, but pretty cool to check that off the list and I look forward to more.”
• Kingsbury was asked if he has communicated with tight end Zach Ertz, whose wife Julie gave birth on Aug. 11 to Madden Matthew. The head coach replied, “I texted him, said that kid has a standing scholarship at whatever NAIA school I’m coaching at in 18 years.”